University of Virginia Library

XVI.—MAGDALENA.

Ihesu cryst, lowyt þu be,
þat for þine Inborne pitte
denȝeit of voman to be borne,
to sawfe mankynd þat wes forlorne!
bot þat was nocht for rychtwise mene,
bot for synful, wele we kene.
& as we In þe ewangeliste red,
hale mane has of leche na ned
bot þai þat are bath sek & sare;
& als þi-selfe sais forthirmare:
“I ame nocht cumyne rychtwis to cal
to pennance, bot synfull al,”
& smartly als þu sais ws til:
“þe ded of synful I na wil
bot þat he leife his syn & lif.”
þare-for lowinge we þe gefe.
þocht þu ma be thy richtwisnes
for syne ws sla, ȝet nocht-þe-les
þou bidis & sufferis, til þat we
thru repentance wil turne to þe.
as In samplis we fynd sere
of ful mony þat synful were,
þat þu had eftyre in daynte
& in ful gret specialite:
as thays and palygya,
sancte dawy, mathow alsa,
pawle als, & of egipe mary,
& þe magdalene, þat was vorthy,
þat for hyre mekil halynes
co-apostil syne callit was.
als sais god þat mare Ioy is
with angelis In hewyne blyse
of a synful, pennance dowand,
þane nyne & nynte vnsynnand.
nocht-þane in hope of forgyfnes
suld nane syne do mare na les;
for of syne is callyt maste
to syne in þe haly gaste.
& þis I say to comfort all,
þat in vanehope na man fal;
for mar is mercy þan mysded,
In syndry placis as we red.
bot a sampil I set certane
þat fel in þe magdalane,
þat fyrst hyre gaf til al delyt,
& [syne] was of a gret meryte,
as men fyndis in haly wryt,
quha ȝarnis for to se It,
and is callyt co-apostol;
þare-for þe apostolis we set hyre next til.
now here of hyre we begyne,
þat cumyne was of kingis kyne;
syrus hyre fadir, of gret nobles,
& eucare callit hyre modir was,
þat mychty ware & of gret kyne,
& mykil had of warldis wyne.
scho had a cyster & [a] bruthyre:
laȝare þe tane, martha þe todir.
eftire þare fadyre & modir ded,
þire thre succedyt in þare sted,
& halely þe possessione,
þat fel þame be sucessione,
ewinly þai delte amaung þam al.
to laȝare cane a gre[t] part fal
In Ierusaleme, þe citte;
& syne to martha fel in fe
bethanya; & to mary
of magdalene can þe castel ly,
quhare-of þe suorname scho bar.
& to k[n]ychthed hyre bruþir laȝare
halely hyme gafe, & lytil rocht
of landis or of riches ocht.
þis mary to delyte hyre gafe,
& lytil rocht of al þe lafe.
bot martha, þat was rycht wyse,
wald nocht thole þare landis perice,
bot bathe þar partis wysly steryt,
& gafe til þame al þat afferyt,
& þe remanand dystribut scho
to pure mene & neidful to.
of martha now na of laȝare
here now wil I spek na mare,
bot of mary we wil begyne,
þat bathte wes far & gret of kyn,
& in habundance had riches.
for-þi þe mare wantone scho ves.
for þat hir name his chengit nov
In “synful wemane,” as we trev,
as in þe godspel we ma se,
þat sais: quhen criste in þat cuntre
prechyt, þe folk hard. & þare
It hapnyt, in ane sythware,
a gudman, callit symon leprose,
had callit ihesus til his howse
with þe dyscipilis þat he had;
& to þame a feste he mad
plentuysly, I tak one hand,
eftir þe maner of þe land.
ande quhene mary had tything
of þat feste & of þat gadringe,
god hire harte Illumynyt sa,
þat scho dressit hire þar to ga.
bot, hafande schame of synnis sare,
scho had gret rednes til apere
ymange rychtwyse; nocht for-þi
scho come eftir þame schamfully,
& gat in handis cristis fete,
& with hire teris can þam wet,
& with hire hare syne can þam dry.
bot vaxand syne mar hardy,
a bouste of precius vngument
apone his hed in gud entent
owt scho ȝet, til al þe place
fulfillyt of þat odyre was;
for þat tyme men in custum had,
þe gret heit of þe sone þat bad,
bathis til oyse & vneyment,
to sawe þame, þat þai var nocht schent.
& one kneys done cane scho ly,
& kissit his kneis richt tendirly.
& quhene þis symeon has sene,
In til hyme-selfe he thocht but vene,
had þis bene prophet, as we trew,
he had nocht tholyt ȝone sinful now
tweche hyme. þane Ihesu ful rathe
hyme blamyt, & hir synn forgafe.
with quhat seruice se we now
þis woman to cum to ples ihesu?
þe vnguyment, scho dicht with cure
to gere hire flesche haf swet sawure,
a-pone Ihesus had It ȝet,
forgyffyne of sik syne to get.
þane with þe wattire of hyr ene,
þat oft vnleiful sichtis had sene,
scho wesche his fet, & punyse It
as scho þat synnyt in þat wyt.
& with hire hayre, quhare-in scho had
ful gret delyt, & þare-with mad
ekyne hyre bewte for to lat,
þar-with scho dryit cristis fet.
& with hyre mowth, ful commonly
þat of pryd had spokine & foly,
ful oft scho kysit cristis fet,
In hope þat scho syne mycht bete;
haffand na dispare of hyre syne,
bot in traste hope pardone to wyne.
&, for scho luffyt mekil, þane he
forgafe hyre mekil Iniquite.
& scho wes callit vpe & done
þe synful woman in þat towne.
als he schew hire þe tendirnes
of hartful luf, þat in hym was.
þe feyndis sewine of hire kyst he,
& gert hyr halely brynnand be
In-to his lufe. & forthirmare
he mad hyr his familiare,
& procurur in-to þe way
he wald hyr hafe, suth to say.
& quhene symon hire accusyt,
debonerly he hyre excusyte.
he callit hyre synful & vnclene.
anent hyr cysteris þan, but wene,
þat callit ydil, he cane defende.
sik takine of lufe he til hyr lend,
& gret, quhene he saw hyr gret.
sike lufe til hyre had Ihesu swet.
& fore hyre sak to lyfe fra ded
he raysit laȝare in þat stede;
& for hire sak martha þe gude,
fra quham sewine ȝere rane þe blud,
he heylyt þane; alsa martilla,
þat þane seruand was to martha,
he mad worthy þe word to say,
þe quhilk is delytabil ay:
“þe wame be [b]lissit þat bar þe,
& þe papis þat fosterit þe!”
til hyre agane þan sone sad he:
“ȝa, quhat be þi blissit mot þai be
þat heris godis word, & It
kepis”—þus says haly wryte.
eftyre crystys ascencione
þe fowrtene ȝere, & passione,
quhene Iowys had slane sancte stewen,
& crystis discipilis bedene
owt of þare land dyspytuisly
had chasyt, & ful felloun[l]y,
[þai] sawit þame in placis seyre,
ȝet goddis word þai sawand vere
quhare-euir þai ȝede, & sawlis wan—
In cristis lufe say brynt þai þan.
with þe apostolis was þat tyme
a byschape, callit maximyne,
þat ane wes of sewinty & twa
byschapis þat with criste can ga;
to quham for his halynes
sancte petyre, þat apostil was,
had recommendit þe magdalayne,
þat of hyre ȝemsel wald fulfane.
quhene þe dyscipilis scalit war
In þat tempeste, sum her sum þare.
sancte maxymyne & þis mary,
laȝare & martha witterly,
& hir fut-madyne martilla,
& sancte cedone with þame alsa,
þe quhilk wes borne of ene but lycht,
bot cristyne syne gefe hym þe sycht,
þe iowis þire & mony wt[h]yre
cristyne, þare fellouny for to forthir,
put in a bat apone þe se
bot gouernale, for þai suld be
drownyt. bot quhen [þe] gud fok had
apone þe se mad lang a-bad
of hungyre & storme in-to dystres,
as god wald, ȝet nocht-þe-lese
aryfyt þar marcel hale & fere,
quhare nane but paianys þat tym were,
þai ware sa fel & dyspytuise,
þat nane wald herbry þam in house,
bo[t] tholyt al þat haly rowte
in wynd & wedyre ly þare-owt
of þare tempil, vndir þe wall,
quhare þare ydolis var stedyt al.
here eftyre, quhene scho had sene
how þat þe puple al-bedene
to þare tempil sped þame in hy,
to þare ydolis to sacryfy,
scho rase, with contenance plesand
& wysage clere, ymange þam thrange,
& presyt hyre in mony wyse
þame to refrenȝe fra sik seruice
of ydolis þat þai honowryt had,
þat war na makaris, bot war mad
with mannis crafte & besy cure,
& ware na worth in til assure.
with hardyment þan cane scho teche
þe cristyne treutht, & þame preche
how god þe warld fyrste mad,
& mane syne fowrmyte had,
& how þat man wes tynt for syne,
& how þat he, mane to wyne,
fra lestand lyfe come vs amange,
& how mane-kynd þat he can fange,
& how he tholyt noys sere,
In þis lyfe til he was heyre,
& how þe ded he tholyt syne,
to safe ws fra þe wethirwyne,
& þat mane suld eftyre syne
recouire his blyse & sauchnyn wyne.
& quhene þe puple had hard wele
al þat scho sad ilke deyle,
þai ware for-wonderyt mare & les
of hyre speke, þat sa plesand was.
& scho prechyt þam so þane,
þat fele of þame to criste scho wan.
the prynce eftyre of þat cunctre
come with his wyf to þe citte,
til ydolis sacrifice to ma,
to gyfe þame grace, & furthir sa
þat he mycht get & scho beyre
barnys, þare landis to were
to þame come mary magdelayn,
þat of þare cumynge wes rycht fane,
& prechit þame þe cristine fay,
for-bedand þame sadly ay
til ydolis for to mak sacrifice,
þat þame mycht helpe on na wise.
& eftyre lytil tyme by passit,
to þis laydy slepand faste
In visione, þat was nocht in wane,
aperyt mary magdelayne,
[&] sad til hyre: “þu art to bald,
þat warldly gud has in hald,
& al delyte þat þi will,
& tholis godis servand[is] spyll,
& de fore cauld & hungyre gret,
& þu lyis solland þe in swet!
bot gyfe þame þu cleth & fed,
þu sal dere by, haf þu na dred;
& þi husband eitlise þare-to,
gyf þu wenis wele to do,
to helpe þe puyre of his riches!”
& quhene þe laydy waknyt vas,
þe visione scho durste nocht tell,
þat in hyre slepe [hyre] sa be-fell.
þe todyre nycht mary apperyt
to þis laydy, & at hire sperit,
quhy hire byddynge had scho nocht done,
& tysit hyre lord þare-to alsone;
& alsa let hyre forthire wit,
gyf scho ware mare rakles of It,
þat scho suld rew it farly sare.
bot ȝet þe laydy dyd nomare
þane as scho had þe fyrst tym done.
þe thryd nycht but langare hone
scho aperit til hyr in gret Ire,
& visage as bles of fyre,
richt as scho wald þe house all
bryne in a blese, & ger it fall,
& grynnand sad dyspituisly
til hyre husband, slepand can ly:
“þe membyre of sathane, slepis þou
with þat eddir, þi wyfe, now,
þat twyse has lefit to fulfill
þe thinge þat I commawndit hir til?
of cristis croice þu fellone fay,
þu restis, & þi wame also
wantonly þu farcis with met
maste delytabile þu ma get;
bot reke of powre þu na liste,
þat peryse in hungyre & in threste?
& þu in chuchis & silkine clathis
lyis ful softe, & na thocht hase
of powre, þu seis dyssolate
of howse & herbry, as þou wate,
& nocht gyffis þame of þi gud,
nothire to clathis na to fude?
quhat, wenis þu, wekit, þat þu sal
eschape but payne? þat sal nocht fal;
for þame to helpe þu has delait,
quhene þai ful pytuisly þe prayt.”
her-eftyre quhene þis wife can wak,
scho til hyr dreme sic tent can tak,
þat for rednes scho al queke,
& at hir husband, quhene he wok,
þat fore þe sammyne cause ves rad,
scho franyt quhy he ves sa mad.
quod he: “deme, ferly nocht
þochte I sycht & haf gret thocht;
fore sic a dreme þis nycht saw I,
þat vris me ful gretumly.”
þane tald he hyre al-bedene
þat he in his slepe had sene.
þane wes scho richt blyth & glad,
& tald hyme how scho sene had
þat Ilke dreme, “sir, þat yhe.”
& sad hyme: “bettire, sir, is þat we
bow ȝone women bydynge til
þane thru þe wreth of hir god spil,
quhame-of scho prechis ythandly,
& sais þat he is sa mychty,
þat he ma do quhat he will,
& nane ma lattinge mak þar till.”
& sic awysment haf þai tane,
þat one þe morne, or þai fane,
þe magdelayne & hire company
þai tuk in hovse and herbry,
& þame wele can clethe & fede,
of na thinge tholeand þaim haf ned.
to mary þane þe prince can sa:
“trewis þu, woman, þat þu ma
defend þat treutht þu sa techis
ws and saydly prechis?”
“ȝa,” sad scho, “I ame redy
til defend It suthfastly,
as, thru preching & merwalis ser,
schewit ws be oure master der,
petyre, at rome þat dwellis nov.”
& sad he: “womane, trewis þu,
gyf we obeyse þi biddinge till,
þat he be mychty, or ȝet wil
grant ws grace a barne to hafe,
othire a madyne or a knaf,
& we sal trew in hym trewly
& lef oure ydolis halely?”
þane þe magdelane sad in hy:
“I trew it sal nocht stand þare-by.”
til god þane mary prayt ȝarne,
þat he wald grant to þam a barne,
sa þat þis treutht, at his hyd,
micht be, t[h]row sic merwale, kyd.
þane god, þat luffit hir tendirly,
hyre prayer hard; and þat laydy
consawit barne; & þane þai
ware confermyt in cristyne fay.
þane to þe prince come in þ[e] mynd,
þat he wald to sancte petyr wend,
to spere gyf al wes certane,
þat to þame prechit þe magdalane
of Ihesu cryste & of his layre,
as scho þame prechit here & þare.
þane cane his wyf til hym say:
“sir, wil ȝe pase & I nocht may?
It sal nocht be, for wele na way
þane yddire with ȝow sal I ga,
& as ȝe do, I do with ȝow,
& quhare ȝe reste, I rest with ȝow.”
sad he: “lefe sal þu haf nane
to pase with me, bot dwel at hame;
for þu art wak & gret with barne;
for-þi þi ȝarninge I þe warne,
fore þu mycht sone peryste be
be storme þat hapnis in þe se.”
bo[t] til his essonȝe scho tuk na hed,
na for na parele wald scho dred.
þane one with hyme wald scho fare,
suppose with barne scho hewy ware.
bot hire husband, þat was rycht wyse,
til hyre consent wald na wyse,
bot sad, scho at hame suld dwel,
& kepe þe thinge þat to þam fel
of þare warldly possessione,
& he alsone suld pas of towne.
bot nedly wald scho with hym ga,
quhat-sa com eftyre, wele or wa.
for weman are of brynnand wil
ay þare ȝarninge to fulfil,
& with wordis cane rycht wele
our-cum mene hard as stele.
sa wrocht þis woman with þis mane,
til scho halely his wil wane,
vith teris & with wordis swete
& fallinge done befor his fet.
for dowte þan of oure fellon fa,
one þare schuldris mary can ma
þe takine of þe croice verray,
þat mycht defend þam in þare vay.
þane he & scho but abad
purwayt & a schipe redy mad
of althinge, þat nedfull ware
to serwe & ese þame in þare fare;
& halely þare possessione,
þat þai had in land ore towne,
þai put al in ȝemsell
of þe magdelane, þat hame can dwel,
& to þe sey passit þare way,
& schippit one þe todyr day,
& saylit furth [a] day & nycht,
til þai of land [had] tynt þe sicht.
syne eftyr can gret wind ryse,
& sterit þe se one mony vyse,
þat hol & hey wawis mad.
& þai þat in þe schepe abad,
war in þat storme sted in sik strife
at euir in poynt to tyn þare lif.
for-þi abasit þai var & rad,
quhene þai þame-selfine sav sa sted.
bot þat laydy oure al þe lafe
sa gret dout & dred cane hafe,
& sa gret dout of hyr child il,
þat na remed mycht be þare-til,
þat na scho [in] þe seknes allase
of a knafe child deliuer wase;
& scho þe lyf allane can thorne,
fra þat ilke barne wes borne.
þane cane hyr husband ȝol & ȝel,
& mony a tyme a-pone hir fel;
bot quhene he saw be ded his vyf,
& his sone borne & haf þe lif,
& wist þat [in] a lytil we
for falt of met þe barne suld de,
sa ekit þane wes his gret care,
þat he cane roydly cry & rare,
& waryt þe tyme he wes borne,
& þe fortone lad hyme beforne,
& regratit ofte be-twene,
þat euir he had þe magdelan sene.
nocht-for-þi in gret & smal
he thocht to do hyr bydinge al.
þe child cane snawil þan, & grape
þe modyr pape, for fud to tak.
allace! nov is þe barne sa borne
modyr-slaar, & he, forlorne
& helples, mon he de of nede,
sene þar is na-thing hym to fed.
þan was þe lord ferly wa,
his wyf saw ded, his barne alsa,
þat gret pitte wes to here
his regrat & sorowful chere.
“allace,” he sad hyme-se[l]sine to,
“werch & waful, quhat sal þou do?
quhene I desyrit barnis til hafe,
þane wes I fule or þe lafe,
& bath has tynt for myn desyre;
for-þi I bryne as in a bale fyre.”
þane cane þe schepmen hely cry:
“do caste we owt þis ded body!
for þis tempeste sal lest, for force,
ay till we herbry þis ded cors;
for-þi, to sawfe ws, cast it owt!”
vith þat hyr husband began to schowt,
& sad: “gyf ȝe spare nocht to me,
na to þe modyr, ȝet parde
ȝe suld, gyf pytte in ȝow var,
to þis squeland barne ȝe spare,
& hafe mercy of þame & me;
for It ma happyne wele to be [OMITTED]
ma fal ȝet nocht fullely ded,
þocht sik dystras hyre can led,
& mad hyr lyk sa to be;
for men ma oft wemen se
in swnyge sum-tyme ly,
& syne our-cum. gudmen, for-þi,
sparis a tyme, þat we ma se
suthfastly gyf scho ded be!”
“na,” sad þai, “we wil nocht spare
bot kyste hyr owt.” & þer-for þare
þai hynt hyr. & sad [ane]: “but were,
I se a lytile Ile apere
In-to þe se, nocht fer away.”
þane pytuisly þe prince can pray,
þat [þai] hyr kest nocht in þe se,
met til vnbestis to be,
bot he prait þam for godis sake,
þat þai wald of his mebile tak,
& schute þare bate with gud wil,
& cary þat body til þe hill.
& with gret dyficulte
to do þat þane purchast he.
& for sik med þat þai wald ȝarne,
þai tuke þe modir & þe barne,
& in þe bat but mare delay
þame lait; syne rowit away,
to þai var cumyne to þat hil,
þis princis ȝarnige to fulfill;
& one þe hil þai lad in hy
þe ȝonge barne & þe ded body.
sa wondir [hard] was þat hil,
& þai had na lomys to wil,
for to make a gannand grawe;
þar-for þai socht & fand a cawe,
& of It in þe maste priwe place
þai lad þat body, þat ded was,
In riche atyre & dressit wele,
wappyt in a furrit mantele;
& layde þe chylde til hir breste,
hed & mouthe þe papis neste;
& gretand sar þine passit away,
& to þe magdelane can say:
“allace! quhy can þu marcil sek,
to me þis mekile bale to eke,
quhare-thru is þus ded my wife,
þat was þe substance of my lyfe?
& I vnhappy cuth nocht fyne
bo[t] trowit in þine admonestine,
&, for þu bad, þis way can take,
& þis has tynt myn warldis make;
for I thocht neuire þe to crawe,
þat I suld ony barnys hafe,
be-cause þat my beste luffit wife
suld one þis wyse now tyn þe lyfe.
&, dere mary, throu þi prayere
scho consawit, I trew but were,
throu þi prayere scho consawit,
quhare-thru til hyr ded is graþit,
& hyre birthe als mon de one nede,
sene nane is It to fostir na fede.
no mare to þe sa wil I,
bot wyfe & barne Increly,
& al þe lafe þat euir myn was,
to god & to þi halynes
I recommend, & prays þe
þat þu wil thochtful one me be,
& pray to god, in quham þu now
sa suthfastly has gerte me trew,
þat of myn wyfis saule he rew,
þat to me wes traste & trew,
& hafe pytte of myn ȝonge barne;
for þi request he wil nocht warne.”
mar dule he mad þan I cane say,
syne passit to þe schipe one his way,
& þare bayt in þai hynte.
þane þe storme be-gane to stynt;
& sowne þai arywinge mad
In þe porte, quhare þai etline had,
& war wondir blythe & glade,
þat þai sa eschapyt hade
sa sere parelis & sic stryfe,
& to land wonnynge with þare lyfe.
thane þe prince, ore he fane,
towarte Ierusaleme is gane.
& richt as he wes cumyne þare,
thru godis wil in þat sythware,
sancte petyr hyme met, & has sene
þe takine of þe croice but wene
one his schuldyr. & þane he
sperit at hyme quhene he be,
& for quhat cause, & of quhat land
he wes þare cumyne wanderand.
& he, þat na thinge fra hym wald
consele, þe taile al has hym tald,
quhene he was, & of quhat state,
& with þe magdelane als how-gat
he met, & how scho gert hym trev,
& his wyfe als, in criste Ihesu,
& how, to make hym sekyr, eke
sancte petyr scho bad hym seke,
& syne how his wyfe
& his barne had tynt þe lyfe,
& quhow he lewit þam one a hil
bathe quek & ded—he tald hym til.
þan petyr sad: “pece to þe be,
bruthyr, þu art welcum to me,
for helsum consale sekyrly
þe tuk, quhen to magdelane mary
þu throwit in scho to þe tacht,
& þis far way for hir has lacht.
be nocht anoyt [gyf] þi wyf slepe,
þi sone reste, & wmquhile wepe;
for a god mychty is but make
al temporale thinge to gyf & tak
to quham he wil; for-þi þou na murne,
for he cane dule in Ioy turne.
& al is suthte, nocht is to lane,
þat þou sad of þe magdelane.
for-þi be sikker in þat, I say,
þat scho þe taucht!” þan but delay
he gert hyme al þe placis se,
quhare criste had bene in þat citte,
& quhare he þe treutht can teche,
& quhare in ȝouthed he fyrst [can] prech.
owt of þe towne to bethleem,
quhare criste wes borne, he had hym þan;
syne eftyr to þe flome Iordane,
quhare he baptysme had tane;
& mony placis gert hyme se,
quhare criste had bene in þat cuntre;
& syne to þe towne hym brocht has,
& led hyme þare fra place to place,
quhare criste vthyr-quhare ȝed
or wrocht ony notable ded,
&, his deuocione to bete,
hyme led to þe monte of olyvete,
a richt far place be-owt þe towne,
quhare criste did his deuocione,
& quhare þat he was eftyr tane
with fals Iowis mony ane;
& syne [hyme] led to mony place
of þat towne, as his wil was,
quhare he for ws had skath & scorne,
& eftyr cronyt wes with thorne,
bondyn & befte felloun[l]y,
& led syne to mont caluary,
& tholit þare dyspituise ded,
fra welland wa vs al to led;
to cristis grawe syn he hym led,
& eftyre to þat haly sted,
quhare criste with his discipilis stud,
fra þame in hewine quhen he ȝud.
eftyr all þis ȝet dwelt he þare
with sancte petir twa ȝer & mare,
þat mad hyme in oure treutht parfyt,
& fals mawmentis gert hym nyt,
& lewit hym þane, & bad þat he
þine hame suld pas in his cuntre.
“menis þe nocht of þe ewangel,
þat in þe kirk is red vmquhile
of mary, þat had renowne
of synful woman vpe & downe,
& with hyr teris wysche þe fete
of Ihesu criste, oure lord swet?”
“Ȝa, it is gane wele thretty ȝer
sene I hard fyrste þat godspel der.”
“& I ame scho,” cane scho say,
“þat here þe thretty vintir ay
til al men has vnkennyt bene,
&, as þu ȝystirday has sene,
sa ilke day in houris sewyne
vith angelis, send me fra þe hewyn,
vpraysit with angelis haf I bene,
& hard þare sange & þam-self sene.
& it is schewit nov me til,
þat of swet Ihesu is þe will,
þat fra þis varld I ame to ga,
quhare-in nocht is bot dule & va.
for-þi to sancte maxymyne
þu schaw myn message, or þou fyne,
& say hyme, at þe next pask day,
In sammyne tyme þat [wont] war thay
In matyne offyce for to ryse,
he cum hym-selfe be ony wyse
but ma in-to þe oratoure,
& he sal fynd me hym before
with angelis of god yddir brocht.”
þe preste þis hard, bot he saw nocht.
þane to sancte maxymyn but bad,
he passit, & al þat he had
of þe magdelane hard ore sene,
til hyme he tald al bedene.
mare Ioyful wes neuir maxymyne
In al hys lyf þane þat tyme,
þane he was quhen þis ves tald;
& [to] god gret thank he ȝalde.
&, vit ȝe, þat he forȝet nocht
þis tale, bot one It ay he thocht,
& þe selfe oure & þe day,
þat þe preste cane til hym say,
he enterit in þe oratore,
as til hyme sad was befor.
& fand þe magdelane þer stannand,
he heywit vpe with angel hand
of [h]ouris tva fully þe space,
& as scho [stud] sa, prayand was
In mydis of þe angelis brycht,
& tholyt þe byschape se þat sycht.
& þe bischape for rednes
Durste cum na narrere, nocht-þe-lese
scho turnyt hyr, & sad hym syne:
“gud, swet faddere maxymyne,
cum nere; þi douchtire fle þou nocht!”
bot scho sa fayre was þat he no mocht
behald hyre face, þat ves sa brycht
of angelis thru þe mekil lycht;
for it mycht les grewe, I trew,
to [se] þe sowne in maste vertu,
þane for to se þat Ioyful face,
þat wes sa blyth thru goddis grace.
“ga furth,” scho sad, “& cal þe til
prestis & clerkis of gud wil,
& bryng to me in gud entent,
þat sal me sawe, þe sacrament!”
þane but mare þe byschape ȝud,
& with hyme brocht god flesch & blud,
with prestis & with clerkis fele.
& þe magdelane, for hyr saule hele,
tuk of his hand þe sacrament,
& of hyre ded hyre cane repent
befor þe alter, & lay done
strekyt, & with deuocione
hyr armys in hyre breste cane fald,
& sa to god þe gaste scho ȝald.
& fra þe saule & þe body
war departyte, sone in hy
a swet sawoure fulfyllyt
þat place & al þat vare in hyt
plentuysly, fyve dais & mare,
& heylit al sek þat come þare.
hyre body þane with mekil cure,
sancte maxymyn with gret honour,
with bawme ennowntyt, can entyre
In place, quhare he had ordanyt here,
quhene he suld de, hyme-self to ly,
þare layd he magdelane mary.
now say we, in þe sammyne tyme
þe magdelane & þe maxymyne
to marcil come, & als martha,
with þame laȝare & vthyre ma,
quhare þis laȝare wes byschape mad;
bot his cystyre mad nan abad,
bot passit & al þare company
til egis with maxymyne in hy,
quhare-at he wes byschape mad;
& sa gret grace of god he had,
þat in his lyfe he mervalis wrocht;
& of his lyfe quhene he was brocht,
be-syd þe magdelane had sepulture,
of quhame be-fore he had þe cure,
quhare now, be his prayere lele,
syndry seke mene gettis þare hele,
& are lousit of mekil payne.
& þe mentyme þe magdelaine
criste in his luf sa cane inflame,
þat scho but ma vent to þe baume,
þat is in þe crage sa schore,
quhare-of I tauld ȝou her before: